Garden Lunch, Cheese Platter

An Autopia Tours day trip from Sydney with wine tastings at three cellar doors and a relaxed garden lunch in the Hunter Valley. The 10-hour tour runs from $249 per person and is rated 4.6 from 106 reviews.

Overview

This Autopia Tours day trip leaves from central Sydney, crosses the Harbour Bridge, and spends a full day in the Hunter Valley, returning to the city in the early evening. The day is built around three tastings at boutique cellar doors, two before lunch and one after, with a structured final tasting led by a vineyard representative. Between stops, a driver-guide gives local commentary from an air-conditioned minibus.

Lunch is a café-style meal with a drink at Cypress Lakes, near Hunter Valley Village, and there is free time afterwards to browse the shops and galleries. The cheese component is a tasting platter and an educational session at the Hunter Valley Cheese Factory, and if time allows the route may pass places like the Hunter Valley Chocolate Company or a liqueur cellar, with any extra tastings paid on the spot. The region is known for Semillon, plus Shiraz, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Verdelho, and the operator rotates among many wineries depending on closures and group size.

It suits travellers who want a relaxed, social day out from Sydney without driving, and reviewers praise the guides, the varied wineries and the food. Groups average between 8 and 14 passengers. Anyone wanting deep time at each winery should note one reviewer's view that the schedule is full, with three tastings plus cheese squeezed into the day.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet in SydneyCheck in at the Mercure Sydney on George Street, with selected inner-city pickup points also used. Hotel pickup is not included.
2. Drive to Hunter ValleyCross the Harbour Bridge as you leave the city, with commentary from the driver-guide. Comfort stops are provided along the way.
3. Morning tastingsVisit two handpicked boutique cellar doors for tastings before lunch. Wineries rotate, with names such as Ernest Hill Wines, Hanging Tree Wines and Tempus Two among the frequent stops.
4. Café lunchA café-style lunch with a drink at Cypress Lakes, set by Hunter Valley Village. Alcoholic drinks at lunch and extra snacks are not included.
5. Village and cheeseFree time to browse boutique shops and galleries, then a cheese tasting platter and educational session at the Hunter Valley Cheese Factory.
6. Optional extra stopsIf time allows, the route may include the Hunter Valley Chocolate Company, The British Lolly Shop, Kissofire liqueurs or The Garden Cellars. Any tastings here are at your own expense.
7. Final tastingA structured tasting at the operator's favourite cellar door, led by a vineyard representative.
8. Return to SydneyDrive back with comfort stops, finishing near George Street around 6:30PM, close to Central Station, with time left to eat out or catch a show.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points help you get the most from this day, drawn from the listing and from what repeated reviewers said.

• Bring ID. You must be at least 18 with valid photo ID to drink alcohol. The listing puts a passport or ID card on its what-to-bring list, so have one on you.
• Seating comfort. The minibus has high-backed, non-reclining seats with seat belts you must wear. One reviewer found the seats small and slightly uncomfortable, so keep expectations modest for the long drive.
• Full day pace. The tour runs 10 hours door to door, with three tastings, lunch and cheese packed in. One reviewer described it as a lot to fit into a single day, so expect a busy schedule rather than lingering stops.
• Food and drink. Lunch comes with a drink and reviewers called the food good, with one noting the portions were generous. Extra snacks or an alcoholic drink at lunch cost more.
• Sun protection. The listing suggests sunglasses, a sun hat, sunscreen and a reusable water bottle, plus some cash. Walking between stops is under one kilometre in total, so ordinary shoes are fine.
• Guides make it. Reviewers across the board praise the guides for information, humour and organisation. The pattern of positive mentions is strong in recent reviews of this exact tour.

Common issues. Hotel pickup is not included, so you need to make your own way to the Mercure Sydney or a listed inner-city pickup point. The itinerary can change due to weather, special events, road closures, group sizes and cellar-door closures, so specific wineries are never fixed. The minibus seats do not recline, and one reviewer called them small and slightly uncomfortable on a long day. Oversize luggage and baby strollers are not allowed.

Choosing Your Tour